Implications of cloud obscuration on ground-based laser systems for strategic defense. Technical report

Technical Report · Mon Mar 12 00:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:6831634

Tavis, M T; Levinson, S W; Parker, K M

The evolution and the current status of the Strategic Defense System Phase II Ground-Based Laser (GBL) System Concept is reviewed in this report. In particular, the impact of clouds on system configuration and site selection is discussed. By using current models of correlated probabilities of cloud-free line of sight and cloud-free arc (CFLOS4D and CFARC) for several ground stations with cloud realizations provided by the Boehm Saw Tooth generator, we have determined the number of ground sites required to achieve various levels of desired system weather availability. We briefly describe potential improvements in the models and discuss the necessity for using the Whole Sky Imager results now being generated to validate these models with empirical data, thereby lending further credibility to GBL System Concepts.

• Research Organization: Aerospace Corp., El Segundo, CA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6831634
• Report Number(s): AD-A-220492/3/XAB; TR-0090(5017-03)-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
INTRUSION DETECTION SYSTEMS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
SITE SELECTION
OPTIMIZATION
ARMS CONTROL
CLIMATE MODELS
CLOUDS
LASER TARGETS
LASER WEAPONS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MILITARY STRATEGY
NATIONAL DEFENSE
PROGRESS REPORT
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SPACE WEAPONS
WEATHER
ALARM SYSTEMS
DIRECTED-ENERGY WEAPONS
DOCUMENT TYPES
TARGETS
WEAPONS
350000* - Arms Control- (1987-)
450500 - Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense- Strategic Defense Initiative- (1990-)